About The IGF

IndieGames.com is presented by the UBM TechWeb Game Network, which runs the Independent Games Festival & Summit every year at Game Developers Conference. The company (producer of the Game Developers Conference series, Gamasutra.com and Game Developer magazine) established the Independent Games Festival in 1998 to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers.

Though its reach may frequently exceed its grasp, The World Is in Your Hand is such an ambitious and interesting game (especially considering that it was originally crafted in less than 48 hours) that it bears repeated plays. Don't get the impression that developer Jack LeHamster's execution is entirely flawed; on the contrary, the silhouetted graphics are beautiful, and the gameplay is satisfying more often than not. The lack of precise controls can get frustrating, and the puzzles can be on the obscure side, but what can we expect from a one-button exploration-puzzle adventure?

The game's premise is ingenious and fraught with emotion. It could be the My Left Foot of videogames. You play as a person who has been completely paralyzed, except for your right hand. The introduction, which is a mini-game in itself, explains how your partner created a flying chair which can be controlled with a single motion. So off you go to explore a small world of labyrinthine platforms dotted with people who could use your help. Pressing the spacebar applies both forward and upward thrust, and navigating the wraparound world can prove to be a bumpy affair. If you land next to some people and wait a few seconds, they will hop aboard your air-chair. They wish to be delivered to other people or places on the map. The developer originally intended to include dialogue to explain the various situations, but opted not to in honor of the Ludum Dare 26 theme of minimalism.

You can play the 48 hour competition version in your browser, but I recommend the more polished post-compo version, which is free to download for Windows, for OS/X, and for Android.